While it is perhaps not the most exciting area of the standard hotel room or hotel suite, the hotel bathroom is an important part of it. And while no traveler would really expect to find everything they have in their bathroom space at home in the bathroom in their hotel room, there are certain things that the modern traveler simply expects to find there, And the hotelier who ensures that their establishment meets – and ideally exceeds – those expectations – is one who should see a good return on their investments in the form of increased guest satisfaction.

So just what is the 21st-century traveler looking for in a hotel bathroom? Let’s take a look at some of the essentials.

An Abundance of Amazing Towels

Whenever a guest steps into their hotel bathroom for the first time the one thing you can be sure they are looking for is a plentiful supply of towels. It’s the rare person who makes use of just a single towel after a shower or bath and so it’s only natural that a guest expects that their ‘towel needs’ – and those of anyone else sharing the room with them, will be met.

When it comes to the towels themselves guests expect them to be clean (of course), available in several different sizes (body, face, hands etc) and soft and fluffy, rather than thin or scratchy. A hotelier shopping for hotel bathroom supplies does have a budget to stick to though, so must balance the need for ‘soft and fluffy’ with the need not to break the bank.

Complimentary Toiletry Basics

Hotel guests simply expect that, even if they have brought along their own plentiful supply of toiletries that the hotel will also provide the basics – free of charge – in their hotel bathroom. And while they may not expect that these be of the most luxurious, salon quality standard they do expect them to be usable. So stocking up on (at least) soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste and maybe even a scented body wash (which many guests will prefer to bar soap) should be a must for any hotelier.

The Little Extras That Make a Big Difference

The average hotel guest tends to value establishments that ‘surprise them’ with little extras during their stay. And the savvy hotelier will go that extra mile to do so, as the ROI on a small investment in additional hotel bathroom supplies in the form of improved reviews on Yelp!, TripAdvisor and the like alone will be significant.

What kinds of extras are we talking about when it comes to hotel bathroom supplies? A robe and slippers are always very much appreciated by both men and women and choosing options like the 1888 MILLS 100% cotton waffle robe allows hoteliers to supply high-quality robes to guests at an affordable price.

Also appreciated are small electronic appliances like hairdryers and even irons, especially by those who are traveling for business and need to look their best!

By making the extra investment in stocking your hotel bathrooms with the supplies guests want – and even expect – to see in such a space you will be helping to ensure a better experience for all of your guests, which can only lead to better results for you too.

Any hotelier wants to provide their guests with the highest level of comfort possible, especially when it comes to the bed they will sleep in during the course of their stay. When it comes to hotel bedding, after the sheets and pillows – and pillow cases – are chosen, hoteliers are faced with another choice; will a duvet or comforter top off the bedding ensemble?

Ultimately, of course, the answer comes down to personal preference and budget. Each option has its pros and cons. But when making the choice between comforter and duvet there are some basics that should be kept in mind. Here’s a look at some of the most important.

What is the Definition of a Duvet?

In the most basic terms, a duvet is an especially plush quilt that is typically filled with feathers, down or a synthetic down alternative. A duvet is quilted in either a box or channel pattern and often they resemble a rather large, soft, fluffy sack. Duvets are commonly sized so that there is a minimum amount of ‘hang over’ from the bed, which allows for a very neat, modern look when the bed is fully made.

When shopping for a duvet hoteliers will usually find them offered in either white or beige. This is because they are designed to be used with a duvet cover, an item that is basically a pillowcase for the duvet. This means that almost any look can be achieved, as the number of duvet covers available is very extensive and a custom-made cover that matches a hotel’s decor exactly is another option as well.

Important Duvet Pros

Duvets definitely offer some great benefits, including all of the following:

People – as in guests in this case – love duvets because they are warm but surprisingly lightweight.

The removable duvet cover can be changed as often as needed – or desired – giving hoteliers the option to change up the look of their bedding with ease and at a relatively affordable cost.

There’s no need for a top sheet when using a duvet as a part of a bedding ensemble, so making the bed is a faster, easier process.

Possible Duvet Cons

Duvets do tend to be a little more expensive

A duvet cover does have to be used at all times. They should be laundered once a month and this does call for extra effort on the part of the housekeeping staff in terms of taking the cover on and off.

What is the Definition of a Comforter?

The comforter began to replace duvets in the late 19th century in the US – the duvet remains the bedding of choice in Europe to this day – and these days they are the most common bedding choice for the general public.

A comforter, like a duvet, is a quilt crafted from two layers of fabric stuffed with feathers, down, or most commonly a synthetic alternative. Usually, a comforter is not as soft and ‘fluffy’ as a duvet as it does not contain as much fill. It does not require a cover and is designed to be a one piece item.

Important Comforter Pros

A comforter is often the more affordable choice versus a duvet.

A comforter is a ‘one-piece’ item that does not require a cover, making it, in the eyes of some, the easier choice for a hotel’s housekeeping staff.

A comforter is easy to place attractively over additional sheets and/or blankets, so they are great for those who want to create a layered hotel bedding look.

Possible Comforter Cons

A comforter is not as soft and ‘fluffy’ a duvet

A comforter needs to used with a top sheet to prolong its useful life.

A hotel comforter needs to be laundered far more often than a hotel duvet, around once a month versus once a season for a duvet, as the duvet is protected by a washable cover which a comforter is not.

Once you have considered all of this information, you will find that there are extensive options available for both hotel comforters and hotel duvets. Armed now with the basic knowledge you need you should now be able to make the best hotel bedding choice for your establishment – and your budget.

One of the things that travelers have almost come to expect they will be offered at any hotel is access to gym facilities. Even those who are traveling for pleasure, not business, don’t want to miss a week – or more – of workouts simply because they are far away from their local gym.

For those hotels and motels that do boast gym facilities, there is a lot to consider in order to provide the best possible guest experience. And while the big stuff is important – the machines, the instruction, things like that – so are the ‘little things’ that can make a big difference. One of the most important of those ‘little considerations’ is making sure that guests are provided with the best gym towel to make use of while they work out.

The Importance of a Great Gym Towel

If you stop and think about it, towels are an important part of going to the gym – any gym – in lots of different ways. Their obvious use to mop up the sweat that the average gym goer usually produces in abundance during the average workout, of for toweling off after that great post-workout shower.

But many gym goers also use gym towels for other purposes. They use them to wipe down the equipment they are using (sticky, wet and sweaty weights, for example, can spell real trouble) and some even incorporate their gym towel into their workouts. So not only does the average hotel gym need to provide the best gym towel for each guest but they need to provide quite a lot of them as well!

Gym Towels and a Healthy Workout Environment

The best gym towel can help a hotelier do something else that’s very important as well; provide a healthier environment for their guests to work out in. Even the best maintained of hotel gyms is, inevitably, a hotbed of germs. Given a great gym towel to keep on hand., most people will regularly wipe down their face and body as they work up a sweat, meaning that germs are less likely to reach their hands. As the hands are always the primary way bacteria spreads this helps create a healthier workout environment for everyone.

What Makes a Towel the Best Gym Towel?

Guests love to be greeted with a plentiful supply of soft, fluffy looking towels when they hit a hotel gym. But choosing the best gym towel calls for more than simply buying the ones that look nice. There is, in fact, more to choosing the right hotel gym towel than you think. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind.

Towel Material

Gym towels and bath towels are not interchangeable, or they should not be anyway, and so the ‘guidelines’ you might follow for towel materials for use in the rest of your establishment are likely to be a little different.

When shopping for gym towels you’ll quickly find that you have several main options in terms of materials. Most people usually find, however, that 100% cotton, while a fairly standard choice, is still the best one. Cotton Terry, to be specific, tends to be best for the gym, as it is soft, durable and does not ‘shed’. The last thing a hot, sweaty gym goer wants is to end up covered in lint because their gym towel sheds. So 100% cotton really does tend to produce the best gym towels for sweat.

A high-quality cotton polyester blend is not quite as soft as 100% cotton, but they are more resilient and durable. In a high traffic gym, this is an important consideration, especially in terms of cost. One idea that some hoteliers find worked very well for them? Provide 100% cotton towels in the gym locker room and cotton polyester out in the gym itself.

But what of those other options? Microfiber has become a very ‘trendy’ choice over the last few years, and it does have its upsides as a gym towel. It’s durable, absorbs moisture well and is even good at trapping germs and dirt. As a gym towel choice, it may be a good option, especially if you can find the right price, but the fact that it is not quite as soft as a good quality 100% cotton towel may be a little off-putting for some gym goers.

There is a considerable buzz around bamboo towels as well at the moment. The claim is that they are as absorbent as cotton while also boasting natural antibacterial properties. For some hotel gyms, especially smaller ones, they may be a viable option but you should definitely do your homework and perhaps just buy a sample or two before ordering in bulk!

The Sweat Factor

A gym is a sweaty, sticky place and gym-goers are sweaty, sticky people. This means that the best gym towel needs to be the best gym towel for sweat! The best gym towels for sweat are those that can absorb moisture quickly and easily. This does not, however, mean that the best gym towels have to be as absorbent as a big bath towel. Look for a towel that offers good absorption without being too thick, as no gym goer wants to lug around a heavy towel as they move from machine to machine.

Sizing

As we just mentioned, a heavy towel does not make for a great gym towel and neither does one that is too big. A medium weight, medium sized – around 13" X 44" is often ideal – is often the best gym towel choice for general guest use, although you may want to consider offering a couple of different sizes so they can choose for themselves.

In the end, the best gym towel for your hotel gym will be a personal decision, one based on facility size and budget as well as towel quality, However, if you keep these tips in mind, and take your time when shopping for the best hotel gym towels, making that decision should be a lot easier.

One of the things hotel guests ‘judge’ a room on most is the quality of the night’s sleep they get. And while getting a great night’s sleep depends on a number of different factors one of the biggest is the comfort and quality of the bedding. It’s hard to get a good night’s sleep if the sheets are too scratchy or the blankets too thin – or thick – to provide comfort at the right temperature.

In looking for bedding that will provide their guests with the comfort they are looking for, many hoteliers turn to down and down alternative products such as down comforters, down pillows and more. And in seeking out these hotel bedding products they often turn to Phoenix Down, one of the leading manufacturers of down – and down alternative – hotel bedding products in the US.

What is Down Anyway?

Not everyone is quite sure what down really is. In a nutshell, down is the layer of fine feathers that lies beneath the tougher exterior feathers that make up the plumage of wildfowl such as ducks and geese. It is a natural thermal insulator and provides great padding, making it a wonderful choice for creating comfortable bedding, especially when it comes to comforters and pillows.

The down used by the Phoenix Down Corporation to create high-quality hotel bedding is sourced from birds who were primarily raised for meat. Once obtained the down is cleaned and sanitized to the highest standards and accessed for quality before finding its way into any of the company’s products.

What is Down Alternative?

Down alternative is what its name suggests, a synthetic alternative to natural down that is often suited for use by those with allergies to feathers – although high quality down is usually hypoallergenic – or who are looking for a slightly more affordable alternative. Phoenix Down alternative down products are crafted using a blown polyester fiber blend that mimics natural down very well.

The Importance of Fill Power

When shopping for down comforters, down pillows and other down products suitable for use as hotel bedding the term ‘fill power’ will crop up often. This is the standard by which all natural down bedding products – and most down alternative bedding products – are graded. The term refers to a measurement that is calculated by placing a sample of the down in a special test tube that measures the number of cubic inches it can fill.

The very finest down – which is extremely expensive and rather difficult to find – has a fill power of 750, with the lowest quality down ‘weighing in’ at 300. Phoenix Down products are crafted using down that ranges in fill power from nothing less than a 550 fill power, a standard that provides a high-quality product that is soft but durable at a reasonable price that better fits the hotel bedding budget the average hotelier has to work with.

The Advantages of Down Based Hotel Bedding

There are a number of advantages of choosing down bedding over standard synthetic hotel bedding, including all of the following:

Softness – Hotel guests are looking for bedding that is as comfortable – if not even more so – than the bedding they make use of at home. High quality down bedding, like that provided by Phoenix Down, provides that comfort, especially when it comes to hotel comforters and hotel pillows.

Warmth – High quality down comforters are created using high fill power down – 500+ – that helps ensure that guests stay warm no matter what time of year it is or how cold it is outside.

Thermal Regulation – Another advantage of down fill is that it is a great temperature regulator. The down offers great ‘breathability’ and wicks away moisture that can leave a sleeping guest feeling sweaty or sticky.

Longevity – With the proper regular care a down comforter can last for years, something that is not true of many standard comforters, which can often become ‘lumpy’ and uncomfortable after just a few months use in a hotel setting. The same is true of hotel pillows, with down, or down alternative pillows from Phoenix Down boosting a lifespan of up to ten times longer than the standard hotel pillow.

Product Spotlight: Phoenix Down Hotel Bedding

Now that you better understand what the advantages are of choosing down based hotel bedding you are no doubt wondering just what products Phoenix Down have to offer to the hotelier in search of great hotel bedding. Here is a look at some of their bestsellers:

Phoenix Down Down Duvets

Available in fill levels from 650 to 550 and in all bed sizes – Twin, Full, King and Queen – Phoenix Down duvets boast a 100% cotton cover and great longevity, as well as superior comfort and styling to suit almost any hotel room decor.

Phoenix Down Pillows

Phoenix Down provides superior hotel pillows in both down and down alternative versions that offer a high fill count, great comfort and superior longevity. They are also sold in multipacks at a significant discount, something that any budget-conscious hotelier can appreciate.

Phoenix Down Throw Pillow Forms

A great looking bedding display is something that hoteliers also strive to provide, and just the right throw pillows can make that a task that is far easier to achieve. Crafted from both down and down alternative these throw pillow forms are attractive, long-lasting and offer great ROI.

No matter what the size and style of the hotel the linens provided for guest use are always of the utmost importance. When they walk into a hotel room the sheets, pillowcases, towels, bathrobes and more are some of the very first things they check, and some of the very first things they will comment on in reviews of the hotel after their stay is over. as reviews have become the lifeblood of the modern hotel all over the world no hotel can afford to make mistakes.

For hoteliers making the right choices is not always an easy task though. While wanting to please their guests they also have a budget to consider. Therefore, the very best hotel linens and fabric accessories for everyday use tend to be those that can provide quality, comfort, and durability but are still sold at a reasonable price. All of the things that one of the largest, and best-known hotel linen lines, Oxford Super Blend, can supply.

The Oxford Super Blend Story

Oxford Super Blend is one of the largest privately held terry brands in the USA and has been providing hotels all over the country with high-quality hotel supplies for almost 30 years (the company was founded in 1989)

What sets their products apart, in the eyes of many loyal customers, is their commitment to quality – all of the cotton used in their products is carefully sourced and curated and all of the fabrics finished to the highest standards – and to reasonable pricing.

Oxford Superblend Offerings

So just what does Oxford Super Blend have to offer to hoteliers in search of great hotel linens? Let’s take a look at some of their most popular offerings.

Oxford Super Blend Wholesale Towels

If there is one thing that any hotel needs a lot of it is towels. Every hotel guest expects a plentiful supply to be provided to them and they want them to to be bright, clean and fluffy. Most people agree, thin, rough towels – or worse still grimy towels – are a terrible way to end a refreshing shower or relaxing bath.

Oxford Super Blend are wholesale towel experts. The Oxford Super Blend towel range is an extensive one and there is an offering to suit every budget and hotel style, from the Oxford Super Blend Silver Range, which is an 86/14 cotton blend offering with 100% cotton loops and a classic dobby border to the high-end 100% brushed cotton offerings like the Oxford Super Blend Platinum. And while classic white, beige and linen colored towels are the biggest sellers the colored Oxford Super Blend towel range is growing in popularity as well, especially with boutique hotel owners.

Oxford Super Blend offers wholesale towels for hotels in a wide variety of sizes and not just for the bathroom either. They are also well known for the high quality of their pool and kitchen towels that are crafted to the same high standards and offered at the same reasonable price.

Oxford Super Blend Bed Linens

The company offers a wide range of hotel bedding, from standard sheets to ultra luxurious coordinated sheet sets in a wide variety of cotton blends to suit every budget. For those hoteliers looking for ease as well as quality and value the Oxford Super Blend Hotel Ensembles offer everything needed to create a ‘well-dressed’ bed, from high-quality oxford weave sheets to polar fleece hotel blankets, throw pillows and more.

Oxford Blend Miscellaneous Hotel Linens

Hotel linens consist of far more than just hotel bedding and hotel towels. Depending on the size and style of the hotel it may need tablecloths, napkins, robes, and more.

One of the biggest advantages for hoteliers who choose the Oxford Super Blend brand for their wholesale hotel linens is the fact that the company can offer a ‘one-stop shop’, with everything a hotelier might need in terms of hotel linens offered in one place, at reasonable prices and crafted with a consistent quality. And when it comes down to it, what more could you ask for?

The quality of the hotel linens is always of the utmost importance. If you take just a quick look at Yelp! Trip Advisor or other similar sites, you’ll quickly see that it’s an area that guests mention regularly, sometimes in a positive, but more often, in a negative way. “The sheets were scratchy,” “the towels were flimsy,” and similar comments are posted all too often.

This all means that shopping for the best hotel linens is not always as simple as you might think. You do want to provide quality, but not at a price that breaks the budget. And there seem to be so many options to choose from in the first place!

When choosing hotel linens, it’s likely that you’ll keep seeing two terms over and over again; Pima and Supima, both used in reference to cotton products. But just what are these things, and perhaps more importantly, which should you choose? In a battle of ‘Pima vs. Supima’ who wins? Here are some important facts and pointers to help you figure it all out.

What is Pima Cotton

No doubt you’ve seen pictures before of cotton fields boasting acres and acres of the fluffy white buds that will one day become a fabric that has almost unlimited uses. What you may not realize is that there are different types of cotton plant used to create the cotton fabric we all know.

Pima cotton is one of the extra long staple cottons (Egyptian is another well-known example of this cotton type) and as such boasts properties that many other cotton varieties do not. It originated in Peru but is actually named for the Pima Indians who brought it to North America and perfected its cultivation.

These days, in the US, pima cotton is grown primarily in Arizona, California, Texas, and New Mexico, as it is only in these states that the delicate balance of the right soil, the right temperature and the right water levels needed for pima cotton to truly thrive exist.

You may also be wondering what extra-long staple cotton is. Extra-long staple cotton has individual fibers within each fluffy cotton bud that measure at least one and three-eighths of an inch in length. This means that pima cotton fibers are 50% longer than standard cotton. Why should you care? Because when woven pima cotton becomes a silk-like fabric that is softer, stronger and far longer lasting. Facts which, if you are shopping for hotel towels, hotel sheets or other hotel linens, are certainly something to pay attention to.

What is Supima Cotton?

Pima. Supima. Sound very similar don’t they? That’s because in many ways they are. Supima cotton is different to though pima cotton, but only sort of. Allow us to explain.

Supima is not another strain of cotton; it’s actually a brand name. The brand belongs to The Supima Association, an industry body that grades, regulates and markets the pima cotton offered for sale in the USA.

To be bestowed with the Supima label a batch of pima cotton must meet some rather strict standards in terms of thread length, cultivation procedures and its intended movement through the supply chain. In order to be branded as Supima pima cotton must be exclusively grown and processed in the USA.

In the most basic of terms, Supima’s name speaks for itself. Supima = superior pima. What does this mean in terms of product? It means that hotel towels, hotel sheets and any other hotel linens a hotelier might consider purchasing that carry the Supima label really are the best of the best.

Pima vs. Supima: Which is Right for You?

Hotel linens crafted from pima cotton are superior to most of the other options on the market. Supima is top of the line. Both are great choices for the towels, sheets, pillowcases and more that a hotelier needs to furnish a guest room. So which should you opt for, if left with a choice between the two.

In reality, that choice may simply boil down to budget and personal preference. Pima products are utilized by some of the best hotels in the USA and beyond, and so it certainly meets some very exacting standards. Supima is more expensive, but you are assured that the cotton is of the highest possible quality, so if you are hoping to create a truly five star ambience and experience for your guests, the extra expense may very well be justified.

Getting down and feather pillows to be fluffy as they were when you bought them is an easy thing to do. Even after you use them for a while, they fit inside any washing machine extremely easy, without the need to use force. That’s especially important as you can cause damage to the machine which could cost you hundreds, or even thousands, depending on how expensive it is.

Besides the fact that synthetic pillows are pricey nowadays, they are nowhere near down or feather ones when it comes to comfort and durability. Many people are afraid of washing the synthetic pillows because of the fact that it can get damaged in the process, which results in throwing it away and buying another one. Gosse feathers and down featherpillows are much more comfortable and will, in fact, last a lot longer, which why paying a little bit more at first will save you money in the long run. Furthermore, you’ll always sleep on a clean pillow, enjoying a beautiful scent of your choice.

Washing pillows can only be done properly if you completely rinse and dry them given that they are both thick and dense.

You might have noticed that your pillows tend to turn yellow, and the main reason for that is sweat. Even during the cold days, your body gets very warm, hence the increase in temperature, which ultimately causes you to sweat more. We sweat because the body needs to lower its temperature, and specific medical conditions, menopause and pregnancy are associated with increased body heat.

Natural oils, present particularly in the head area, can be yet another reason for a pillow to turn yellow over time.

How to Wash and Dry Feather or Down Pillows

If you ever asked yourself “How do I wash a feather pillow?” It is extremely important that you understand how crucial both processes are. Washing your pillow without drying it should be avoided as it reduces the pillow’s quality. Here’s what you need to know about it,

Quantity – Never turn on the washing machine without putting at least two pillows inside of it. You want to keep the spin cycle balanced.

Water Temperature – Set the temperature to what you feel comfortable with, but be aware that hot water might cause shrinkage.

Speed – To drain as much moisture as possible from the pillows, set it to highest speeds

Rinse – Double down on the rinse process just to make sure that you removed all the soap

Soap – Use down or feather soaps without any additives

There are the key steps to washing your pillows properly, but you can always use non-chlorine bleach to whiten them up. On the other hand, one thing you don’t want to use is fabric softener as it can reduce the fluffiness.

When it comes to drying, these are the things to pay attention to:

Temperature – Just like you did while washing the pillows, set it to any temperature, but low heat is recommended

Time – Depending on how good your machine is, it might take several cycles before they are completely dry

Odor or Clumping – In order to prevent mold, you want to get your pillows 100% dry before getting them out

Dry Test – Press your pillows really hard in between the cycles, because they might seem to be dry when you touch them softly, but chances are that it is still damp on the inside

To freshen the pillows, you can always use dryer sheets, but what’s even more helpful is using dryer balls. If you don’t have them, you might use clean tennis balls as well to speed up the process.

We have described the best way to clean feather pillows, but you can use this method for any other natural fill pillow as well.

Feather Pillows VS Down Pillows

The ultimate down VS feather pillow war needs to settle down once and for all. Unless you’re buying exclusive and more expensive versions, which only contain one of the two materials, you’ll most likely going to get a pillow that’s filled with both. It’s best that you try them both and decide which one is more comfortable for you, as it is not something that can be generalized.

Are duck feather and down pillows good? Absolutely. As we said at the beginning, deciding to switch from even the best synthetic pillows to feather or down pillows might cost you a little bit more, but they will last for much longer.

Wash Your Pillows Regularly

Don’t be afraid, it doesn’t mean that you’ll have to do it on a daily or weekly basis, but every three to six months would be ideal. Never wait more than half a year before thoroughly washing and drying your pillow, as it collects dander, body oils and dead skin cells.

If you do not have time to do it, you can always search for “pillow cleaning near me” in order to find someone who can do it for you. However, you can see how easy it is and how cleaning feather pillows doesn’t take any expertise to be done.

Alright, but what about hotel pillows? You know how to care for feathers, but do hoteliers have the same knowledge? You can always check that, by taking off the pillow protector and judge by the color and smell. If there are no stains, bad smells or punctures, their hygiene is top notch. Every hotel guest should have the habit of doing this, as clean pillowcases are not enough.

As we said, sweating is the number one reason why your pillows turn yellow. That said, it goes without saying buying the best pillow protector for night sweats is a must. Keep in mind that you’ll need to wash the case more often than the pillow, ranging from once a week to once a month at least.